make it hot for
that dum lawyer who air got my girl, now."

Towering over Waldstricker's desire to lock up his father's murderer,
was the wish to get even with Deforrest Young and Tessibel Skinner. If
they'd had the dwarf all this time, they were all in his power. Now, he
would wring their hearts! He'd show them no mercy.

"We'll even up some old scores, eh, Sandy?" he agreed.... "You get sober
and be here tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, sober--cold sober,
understand?"

"Sure, Mr. Waldstricker, sure, I get ye. I ain't tight now, not real
soused."

Moving to the door, he stopped. "But I air not goin' to swig any more
booze till we gets Andy Bishop an' I finger that reward."

More intoxicated by his dreams of affluence than by the liquor he'd had,
the pale-faced graduate of Auburn swung out of the room and clattered
down the stairs.

After Waldstricker'd written and despatched a letter and a telegram, he
closed the office and went home.

Helen met him smilingly.

"Elsie's asleep," she announced, taking his hat.

He snatched it from her slender fingers, and his wife moved back. She
looked more closely into his face and the exaltation shining in his eyes
frightened her.

She followed him into the drawing room and closed the door. Patiently,
she waited until her husband had thrown himself into a chair and was
looking at her.

"What is it, dear?" she murmured.

"I have your brother just where I want him," fell from his lips.

"Now, what's Deforrest done to displease you?"

"I've found Andy Bishop in his house!"

The woman couldn't believe her ears. It could not be! She mustn't take
him seriously.

"Oh, how perfectly ridiculous!" she said, relieved.

"It's true enough," replied Ebenezer, getting up. "There's no doubt
about it, and the prison yawns for him and for that Skinner girl,
too.... No! no!... You needn't beg for 'em. I won't hear it!... They've
done enough to me.... Now, it's my turn!"

"Ebenezer," gasped Helen, "don't do anything you'll be sorry for. If
Forrie has had the dwarf there, let him tell you why. If you put him in
prison for it, I couldn't--I couldn't live with you!... Can't you
understand that?"

"As you please, madam. I shall do my duty, even if the criminal is your
brother."

"But you couldn't get along without Elsie and me."

She was very near him now, having taken little steps while she was
speaking.

"Without Elsie!" he mocked. "I don't have to live without Elsie. You